Activist Acts | The David Wojnarowicz Foundation

Activist Lawyer William Dobbs photograph of David Wojnarowicz’s jacket; ‘If I die of AIDS, forget burial – drop my body on the steps of the FDA” courtesy The David Wojnarowicz Papers, The Downtown Collection, Fales Library, New York University

Explore the timeline below to learn more about David Wojnarowic’s actions as an activist.

David went out of his way to support marginalized communities through his writing, artwork, and performances.

Untitled Burning House Stencils, 1982. 10.75x8.75 in. The David Wojnarowicz Papers courtesy The Downtown Collection Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

David begins burning down the house

December 2 1980: David plays Danceteria Benefit

December 2, 1980: 3TK4 plays their first gig at Tier 3—a benefit for Danceteria employees. David, Brian Butterick, Jesse Hultberg play with Danceteria staffers Jay Sienna (drums), Rico Espinet (congos), Barbara Portman and Alexa Hunter (backup singing). David’s posters for the benefit feature images from his “Portraits of Men” series, including Iolo Carew, his first friend to be diagnosed with AIDS.

3 Teens Kill 4 (Brian Butterick, David Wojnarowicz, Jesse Hultberg) perform Tier 3 benefit, 1980. Photo copyright and courtesy Dirk Rowntree.

1981: David creates first film, “Heroin”

March 12, 1981: 3 Teens Kill 4 benefit for El Salvador

September 26, 1983: David creates protest poster for graffiti artist beaten by police

October 3, 1983: David creates benefit invite for slain graffiti artist

1985: David creates “Message to the Public” Times Square Installation

Filmmaker Richard Kern in David Wojnarowicz's "You Killed Me First Installation #8," December 1985, Ground Zero Gallery. Contact sheet from The David Wojnarowicz Papers courtesy The Downtown Collection Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

October 1985: Acts in “You Killed Me First” by Richard Kern

Winter 1985: David contributes to “Between C & D”

Tommy Turner, David Wojnarowicz, Where Evil Dwells film casting call, 1986

1986: David films “Where Evil Dwells” with Tommy Turner

1987 January 2: Peter Hujar Tests HIV+

1987: Street Kid

A Fire in My Belly (Film In Progress), 1986-1987. Super 8mm film, black-and-white and color, silent, 13:06 min. and 7 min.

1987: Fire in My Belly

December 26 1987: David’s mentor Peter Hujar dies of AIDS, age 53

Spring 1988: David Tests positive for HIV

1988 Summer: David films Beautiful People (with Jesse Hultberg)

NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt panel including David Wojnarowicz's tribute to Peter Hujar

June 25 1988: David displays AIDS Memorial Quilt for Peter Hujar in Central Park

David Wojnarowicz demonstrates with ACT UP outside the offices of the NYC Commissioner of Health. Photograph copyright and courtesy t.l. litt.

July 19 1988: David protests NYC Commissioner of health

October 11 1988: David demonstrates with ACT UP at FDA

October 11, 1988: Demonstrates in “If I Die of AIDS…” Jacket

October 1988: David creates “Untitled” (Hujar Dead)

1988: David creates “The Sex Series”

1988: David begins creating work in the darkroom of Peter’s loft for his first P·P·O·W show, “In the Shadow of Forward Motion” including The Sex Series.

Untitled (Sex Series), 1989. Gelatin silver print, 15 13/16 x 19 7/8 in.

Untitled (Sex Series), 1989. Gelatin silver print, 16 × 20 in.

Untitled (Tanker), 1989. From "Sex Series." Gelatin Silver Print.

1988-89: Untitled (Bread Sculpture)

David Wojnarowicz, Untitled (Buffalos), 1988–89. Gelatin silver print, 19 7/8 × 23 15/16 in.

1988-89: David creates “Untitled (Buffalos)”

April 1989: David appears in film Silence = Death

September 1989: David creates “Fear of Disclosure” film with Phil Zwickler

David Wojnarowicz photos of posters he created for Washington D.C. womens march organized by the National Organization for Women, 1989. Courtesy The David Wojnarowicz Papers in The Downtown Collection courtesy Fales Library and Collections, New York University.

1989: David attends womens march in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. 1989: David was a strong supporter of women’s rights. In 1989, he marched on Washington DC with the National Organization for Women (NOW) accompanied by his partner Tom Rauffenbart and friends like Anita Vitale (now Board Chair of The Foundation). They joined hundreds of thousands of demonstrators protesting reproductive rights cases pending before the Supreme Court and the Reagan-Bush administration’s threat to reverse Roe v. Wade.